Jenyns First School and Nursery

Inspection of Jenyns First School and Nursery Uplands, Braughing, Ware, Hertfordshire SG11 2QJ

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 November 2024

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding 26 and 27 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils relish attending this school. They are keen to build and use their ‘learning superpowers’. Pupils treat each other, and adults, with courtesy and kindness. They behave very well in and out of lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy taking part in many extra-curricular activities. They participate in a wide range of clubs, from recorder to origami. There are regular sporting competitions with other local schools. Pupils develop their leadership skills as house captains and school council representatives. They meet visitors and go on trips, such as to a local castle and zoo, which spark their interest in the wider world. Pupils learn about the local community when they take part in activities in the village, such as ‘Old Man’s Day’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe here. They know that there are caring adults they can turn to if they have any worries. Pupils learn about the importance of personal space, and how to stay safe when using the internet or gaming.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school ensures that all pupils can successfully access the school’s broad, and largely ambitious, curriculum. Pupils gain secure foundations, including in reading and numeracy. This prepares them well for the next stages in their education.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has significantly improved its curriculum since the previous inspection. The school has thought carefully about the order of topics. Once pupils have grasped knowledge securely, they can confidently move on to new learning. In art and design, for instance, pupils learn about artists from around the world. This inspires them to produce imaginative work using a range of techniques. There are regular opportunities built into the curriculum to recap on previous learning. This helps pupils retain knowledge. The school is aware that in some subjects important knowledge, including key vocabulary, is not always identified precisely enough. This means that pupils do not always gain the important knowledge they need. Consequently, pupils sometimes find it hard to make links between different topics.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Staff present new knowledge clearly. They check how well pupils are learning. Staff use these checks, and their detailed knowledge of their pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to adapt the learning effectively so everyone accesses the same high-quality curriculum. Consequently, pupils know and remember more.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Teachers give pupils useful feedback. Pupils use this to improve their work. At times, however, staff do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve. Some work is not demanding enough. When this happens, pupils are less engaged in their learning, and do not gain the depth of understanding that they should.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school teaches pupils to read very effectively from the start. In Nursery, children are well prepared for phonics when they practise rhyming sounds. Daily practise helps pupils 26 and 27 November 2024

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to become increasingly adept at blending sounds and words. Expert staff give additional support to pupils who need it. This helps pupils to become accurate and fluent readers. Pupils enjoy reading an increasingly diverse range of texts.

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In Nursery and Reception, staff plan carefully so children experience a range of opportunities, inside and outside of the classroom, to develop their knowledge and broaden their interests. Children go on nature walks around the village. They recently learned about Diwali. Children get a secure foundation in learning number, counting with increasing confidence. They learn to share and help each other and, in doing so, become confident and self-reliant.

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The school has a strong sense of ‘family’. Everyone looks out for each other. The school works closely with families to help improve pupils’ punctuality and attendance. Pupils attend school very well. If pupils need help to improve their behaviour, skilled staff take the time to provide support. This helps pupils feel happier in school and able to focus on their work.

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The personal, social and health education curriculum ensures that pupils learn, in an age- appropriate way, how to look after themselves. Pupils learn about the features of healthy and unhealthy relationships. They learn, from the start, about the importance of personal hygiene. Pupils can describe how other people are similar and different to themselves, but of equal value.

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The governing body has navigated the school very effectively through a period of instability. The school has continued to effectively address the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection. Leaders check how well pupils are learning. They have clear plans to further improve aspects of the curriculum and how it is led and taught.

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Staff are very well supported. They benefit from professional development opportunities that expand their knowledge and skills. As a result, staff enjoy working here. Parents and carers are fully involved in the life of the school, attending frequent school events and volunteering.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not yet identified the precise knowledge that pupils need to learn in all areas of the curriculum. As a result, sometimes pupils do not learn key knowledge and vocabulary as well as they should. The school should support staff to identify, teach and assess key knowledge precisely so that pupils know and remember more. 26 and 27 November 2024

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 The school has not ensured that all staff have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. In some lessons, pupils find the work too easy. Consequently, pupils do not gain the breadth and depth of understanding that they should. The school must ensure that there are high expectations of what pupils can learn so that lessons are consistently ambitious for all.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 26 and 27 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 28 February 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been four headteachers since the previous inspection. The current headteacher was appointed in April 2024. The school’s special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator has been in post since October 2024.  The school is a small rural first school. Pupils are currently taught in mixed-age classes.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 26 and 27 November 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the second routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and science. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects and visited a range of lessons.  Inspectors held meetings with a range of leaders, including the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator. He also spoke to a representative from the local authority who works with the school.

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 The lead inspector met with members of the local governing body.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at other times around school. They met with groups of pupils to discuss behaviour in the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of records relating to behaviour and attendance.  The lead inspector considered the responses and free-text comments received during the inspection to Ofsted Parent View. He also spoke to parents on the gate. Inspectors took account of responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Steve Woodley, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Merritt Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 November 2024

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achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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